Month: July 2018

Facial recognition tech has been around for decades, but it has been progressing in leaps and bounds in recent years due to advances in computing vision and artificial intelligence (AI), tech experts say.

I am going to start on a new piece that’s approximately 51"x84" and looking for suggestions as to what I should draw at that scale. Keep in my mind I do detailed/realistic art. Hyperrealism is the way I want to go, but I would need a very high resolution photo, I am just having trouble with subject matter. And I do plan on selling the piece once it’s completed and possibly making prints as well. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated! Thanks -SBC

The drawing I posted was one I originally did when I was 17 (bottom) and I decided to touch it up a little and got a little out of hand, the top is currently where it’s at. There is more to the picture of course.

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are using machine learning to automate the process of developing and improving drugs.

Credit: University of Maryland School of Pharmacy

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers are using machine learning to automate the process of developing and improving drugs.

The team trained a machine learning model on 250,000 molecular graphs, detailed images of a molecule’s structure. The model generated molecules, found the best base molecules from which to build, and designed new molecules with better properties.

The researchers found the model was able to complete these tasks more effectively than other systems designed to automate the drug design process.

In addition, the model was asked to modify 800 molecules to improve them for certain properties while keeping them similar in structure to the lead molecule. About 80% of the time, the system created new, similarly structured molecules that scored higher for those properties than did the original molecules.

Scientists are using drone flights and automated image analysis to develop a new approach to counting animals in the wild.

Credit: gateway-africa.com

Scientists funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) are using drone flights and automated image analysis to develop a new approach to counting animals in the wild.

The new technique enables fast and accurate counting of gnu, oryx, and other large mammals living in wildlife reserves.

The drones remotely photograph wilderness areas, then the images are analyzed using object-recognition software and verified by humans. The drones enable researchers to study vast areas, with more than 150 images captured for each square kilometer.

The researchers use deep learning to analyze this mass of raw visual data, eliminating most images containing no wildlife; in other images, the algorithm highlights the patterns most likely to be animals.

The team trained the artificial intelligence system using an international crowdsourcing campaign in which volunteers tracked animals in thousands of aerial photos of the savanna taken from a Namibian wildlife reserve.

Plants could soon provide our electricity. In a small way they already are doing that in research labs and greenhouses at project Plant-e — a university and commercially sponsored research group at Wageningen University in the Netherlands.

The Plant Microbial Fuel Cell from Plant-e can generate electricity from the natural interaction between plant roots and soil bacteria. It works by taking advantage of the up to 70 percent of organic material produced by a plant’s photo-synthesis process that cannot be used by the plant — and is excreted through the roots.

As natural occurring bacteria around the roots break down this organic residue, electrons are released as a waste product. By placing an electrode close to the bacteria to absorb these electrons, the research team — led by Marjolein Helder PhD — is able to generate electricity.

Helder said: “Solar panels are making more energy per square meter — but we expect to reduce the costs of our system technology in the future. And our system can be used for a variety of applications.”

Plant Microbial Fuel Cells can be used on many scales. An experimental 15 square meter model can produce enough energy to power a computer notebook. Plant-e is working on a system for large scale electricity production in existing green areas like wetlands and rice paddy fields.

Helder said: “Our technology is making electricity — but also could be used as roof insulation or as a water collector. On a bigger scale it’s possible to produce rice and electricity at the same time, and in that way combine food and energy production.”

A first prototype of a green electricity roof has been installed on one building at Wageningen University and researchers are keeping a close eye on what is growing there. The first field pilots will be started in 2014. The technology was patented in 2007.

After 5 years of lab research: Plant-e is now taking the first steps toward commercializing the technology. In the future, bio-electricity from plants could produce as much as 3.2 watts per square meter of plant growth.